Kevin and Samantha Schaefer and their boys endured what every livestock producer dreads…a barn fire ripped through their property on Feb 27th. The fire claimed several of their sheep including their entire February lamb crop along with their truck and a lot of their sheep equipment. Unfortunately the Schaefer’s do not own the barn which burnt, they rent it. So only renters insurance will be what they get to replace any loss, which we all know is minimal.
For those of you who know Kevin and Sam, you know these are the kind of people who will give their shirt off their backs to help anyone in need. And for those of you who don’t know them as well let us tell you….these are the type of people you want forever in your corner…Kind, generous, fun, encouraging, and the hardest working couple out there anywhere! You never want a tragedy like this to happen to anyone and especially to those who put every penny and blood, sweat, and tear into building a program for their kids to participate and enjoy.
But not only did tragedy strike once that week, just two days earlier they received even more heartbreaking news about Kevin’s health battle.
Kevin was born with a rare blood disease called chronic granulomatous disease or CGD. His white blood cells do not work like normal and they break down when they attack bacterial and fungal infections.
As a child he was fortunate to be accepted into the National Institute of Health as a patient. In exchange for their being able to study his disease, they provide him continued care, medicine and procedures. The other unfortunate side of CGD is that it starts to spur addition autoimmune disorders to start happening, and with a shortened life span. As time has advanced, so has medical science. And now there is a possibility of a cure.
The news they received on Feb 25th was that in approximately 1 year - Kevin will undergo a bone marrow graft. If successful, he will be able to live a more complete life, without the fear of his system shutting down when exposed to pathogens. But in order for this to happen, he will need to live in Maryland for 4-6 months.
While the procedure is paid for by NIH, he will be on disability for that time and out of work. In addition to the financial responsibility at home, they will also need to rent him an apartment or housing there. NIH does help with a small portion of the housing cost, but the family will still need to provide a large portion.
The Schaefer’s are not the kind of people who would ever ask for financial assistance which is even more of a reason that if anyone could help contribute to helping rebuild their losses as well as help them stay on their feet financially through Kevin’s treatment, it would be greatly appreciated and well spent towards a family so deserving of community help.